Fusion 2010: ‘Twisted Fairytales’

Greetings, web-goers! I bring you a sparkly new blog about everyone’s favourite RAG event of the year- Fusion 2010: ‘Twisted Fairytales’.

153 students.

One show.

The time has come! Under the leadership of new Fusion President Cesca Dessain, rehearsals for the show at the end of this term begun last weekend. And I was present to view the nervous faces some of the anxious dancers turn up at their first Fusion rehearsal, trying to anticipate what’s in store for their performances.

Sat there, in my huge turquoise coat with a packet of crisps in hand, I faced 20 students clad in their dance gear. And it didn’t take long for me to suddenly feel rather…inadequate. Because when you see that someone can instantaneously do the splits in a warm-up, it really makes you re-think how much “energy” you put into your exercise regime. Which, in my case, has been in its current phase of non-existence for quite a number of years.

The sheer amount of enthusiasm that Head Choreographers Jeremy Lilley and Danielle Spears put into their very first rehearsals made me feel like it was I, not the group in front of me doing the work-out. If they can keep up that level of enthusiasm for the entire lead up, their passion will be a real driving force for the show. Or…they’ll collapse in a heap of exhaustion. Oof. (Let’s hope not.) But which scenario plays out will remain to be seen over the next five weeks – and I’ll be there charting it all the way.

I must say from the start – as much as I really do love to spend my nights on the dance floor (Gallery, Tru; I’m not fussy), I’m not sure I could physically hack being in Fusion. I didn’t even audition, but it looked genuinely painful. I’m beginning to think that Fusion is a lifestyle, not just a show. There are lunges involved. Yes you read correctly: lunges. In my estimation you need to have a real passion for something to be doing lunges for fun.

For now, the models will be strutting down L/N/028 in stylishly lent clothes (or in much less, for the lingerie models); the dancers will be doing do high-kicks, sweeping rolls across the floor and generally be getting a bit sweaty. And me, you ask? I will be relaxing with my bar of chocolate, secretly envious that I’m not up there dancing too.